The performance of silicon-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors steadily improves as device dimensions shrink. The decreasing size of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) provides improved integrated-circuit performance speed and cost per function. As channel lengths of MOSFET devices are reduced to increase both the operation speed and the number of components per chip, the source and drain regions extend towards each other, occupying the entire channel area between the source and the drain. Interactions between the source and drain of the MOSFET degrade the ability of the gate of the MOSFET to control whether the MOSFET is “on” or “off.” In particular, the threshold voltage and drive current decrease appreciably with the channel length. This phenomenon is called the “short channel effect.” The term “short channel effect,” as used herein, refers to the limitations on electron drift characteristics and modification of the threshold voltage caused by shortening trench lengths.
Double or tri-gate transistors, such as vertical double gate silicon-on-insulator (SOI) transistors or fin-FETs, offer significant advantages related to high drive current and high immunity to short trench effects. Conventionally, fin-FET devices have included single, unitary semiconductor structures that protrude from an active surface of a substrate. Such a semiconductor structure is generally referred to as a “fin.” A polysilicon material may be deposited over a central portion of the fin and patterned to form a pair of gates on opposite sides of the fin. Among the many advantages offered by fin-FETs is better gate control at short gate lengths. Fin-FETs facilitate down-scaling of CMOS dimensions while maintaining acceptable performance.
With ever-decreasing semiconductor device feature sizes, the aforementioned short channel effects attributable to shortened channel lengths become increasingly problematic in the fabrication of semiconductor devices.
Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices, including dual fin structures, to reduce short channel effects and increase drive current, as well as improved fin-FET structures, are desirable.